Recently, on the 18th of October it was World Menopause Day!

We want to utilise this opportunity to share some information and perspective on the experience of menopause.

There are three stages of menopause: peri-menopause, menopause and post menopause.

Peri-menopause

Is the lead up to natural menopause and can range from 2-12 years before menopause.

During this time, hormonal changes may cause women to experience undesirable changes. These changes can come on quite quickly. Peri-menopause will see oestrogen levels fluctuate (sometimes quite dramatically) and progesterone production will decrease.

Menopause

Generally lasts between 7-14 years and occurs when the ovaries no longer have any eggs to release. Menopause finalises when your menstrual cycle has ceased for a whole year. During menopause, both oestrogen and progesterone will drastically decrease.

Early menopause may occur due to medical treatment, surgery, genetic conditions or for other reasons.

Post menopause

Is the period of time after menopause. During this time you may still experience signs and symptoms, for about 4 to 5 years (on average).

Symptoms:

There are a range of symptoms that accompany the transition through menopause, you may experience some or many of them.

The most problem menopausal symptoms are reported as: trouble concentrating, tiredness, poor memory, depression, low confidence and sleep disturbances.

There is a range of many other symptoms including (but not limited to):

irregular periods
absence of periods
vaginal dryness
itchy skin, dry skin
hair thinning, hair loss, dry scalp
hot flashes, chills, night sweats
headaches, migraines, fatigue
Sleep problems, insomnia, early waking
mood changes, irritability, anxiety, depression
forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating
headaches, migraines, fatigue
reduced sex drive, urinary difficulty, urinary frequency
osteoporosis
breast changes, breast fullness, loss of breast fullness
sore or tender breasts
weight gain, aches and pains, stiff joints, sore joints
blood pressure changes, hypertension

Navigating work during menopause

Many of the above symptoms can impact women so much that many women consider quitting their work or contemplate a job transition. In fact, menopause effects 20% of the workforce and losses to women’s earning are estimated at $17billion annually. We believe that getting support through this significant life change is necessary to support women to thrive in professional and personal lives.

One of the most important things you can do during menopause is manage stress. Managing your stress will allow your adrenals to assist in hormone production, now that your ovaries are decreasing/ ceasing the production of hormones.

Some self-care practices we highly recommend during menopause are: meditation, yoga, pilates or qigong, diaphragmatic breathing, weekly or fortnightly acupuncture, eating something healthy and prioritising sleep and rest. These self care practices will aid your body in maintaining balance and reducing stress.

Often there can be a big focus on the symptoms of menopause and because of this, menopause can have a bad rap. The Menopausal Archetype is often depicted as an angry, crazy lady. This is largely due to the lack of information about how to care for oneself during this natural life stage. There is also the idea among women who are transitioning menopause that self care is indulgent and only get help for themselves when others find them 'disruptive'. Lynn Andrews explains in her book, The Edge Between Two Worlds, that menopause is a stage of life when you shed one persona and step into another.

There are many positive associations with menopause and we believe it can mean liberation, independence, increased self-awareness and hope. We also believe it can be a time for deep personal reflection and should be celebrated.

Chinese Medicine & Menopause:

TCM recognises the signs and symptoms of this phase and menopause was fist written about in the classical medical text around 2600BC. The Chinese believe that woman age in cycles of 7 and the average age of menopause is in the seventh cycle between 49-56. In TCM, menopause is described as:

At seven times seven a woman’s heavenly dew (menstrual cycle) wanes and the pulse of her Conception channel decreases. The Qi that dwelt in the baby’s palace (the uterus), moves upward into her heart, and her wisdom is deepened.

This beautiful description encompasses both the mental and physiological processes that occur during menopause.

Dr. Dayna’s last research paper at university took a deep dive into menopause. The findings were that TCM and acupuncture can help ameliorate symptoms of menopause, including hot flushes. Herbal formulas are also useful in helping manage the signs and symptoms of menopause.

Please acknowledge the change is real and it is highly likely that perimenopause is adversely affecting a friend, mother or significant other.... let them know we are here and we can help.

Supporting Menopause with Chinese Medicine